Archive: February, 2011

Scott Swiderski out at The Corner

POSTED: Thursday, February 24, 2011, 6:34 PM

Filed Under: Chef Salad | Food News

Just touched base with Scott Swiderski, who confirms he's out at The Corner (102 S. 13th). (Good intel from Grubby Gossip, who reported the news on Twitter today.) John "Chainsaw" Taus is moving into the exec position. We expect to have more details today. Stay tuned.

Foobooz Philadelphia » Quick Bites: Chef Shuffling and Name Changing

Posted 2011-02-24 16:29:08

[...] Scott Swiderski is indeed out at the Corner. John Taus becomes the executive chef. [Meal Ticket] [...]

March 15: Chef’s collab, American-style, at The Corner :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper

Posted 2011-02-28 13:43:10

[...] Rainbow Berry Belts• Feb. 27: Susanna Foo guest stars at Square 1682's Penns Woods wine dinner• Scott Swiderski out at The Corner• Does four stools qualify as a bar expansion? At meticulous La Minette, yes. • Coming [...]

Posted by Adam Erace @ 6:34 PM Permalink | Post a comment

Does four stools qualify as a bar expansion? At meticulous La Minette, yes.

POSTED: Thursday, February 24, 2011, 4:33 PM

Filed Under: Chef Salad | Food Events | Food News

Photo l Peggy Baud Woolsey

La Minette's cassoulet

Right about now, chef Peter Woolsey is laying down a marble slab that will add four spots at the charming little bar that anchors the front of his red-and-gold restaurant, Bistrot La Minette (623 S. Sixth St.). "We've been working on it for days," says Woolsey. "Now its just a matter of screwing and nailing and laying it in. Should take us about an hour to get it in." That's what she said. "Us" is Woolsey and his dad, John Woolsey, a retired scientific illustrator and amateur (but hardly amateurish, judging by the craftsmanship of the private-dining communal table, for example) carpenter. "I never took a real interest in carpentry until we got the restaurant," Woolsey says, "but my dad has always been the guy who was like, Im building flower beds outside the house today!'" The new piece of marble continues in original counter in an L around the front of the bistro, giving drinkers there a straight view into the dining room and open kitchen. It might not sound like much, but every spot counts at Minette, especially with more of mad-popular chefs collabo dinners up for March. Next month (date TBA) Woolsey is hosting Dave Katz (Mémé), Pierre Calmels (Bibou), Terence Feury (Fork), Mike Solomonov (Zahav) and possibly Monica Glass (10 Arts) for a Duck Dinner you wont want to miss. (The same month, frequent co-conspirator John Taus and Scott Swiderski will have Woolsey over for a collaborative dinner at their restaurant, The Corner.) Later, in April, big-deal Lyonnaise chef Joseph Viola will cook with Woolsey at La Minette as part of the Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts, which will bring a boatload of French chefs into town to cook alongside their Francophile Philly comrades. Sacrebleu! So much to do, so little time. If you cant make it to these events, may we suggest tucking into a pot of extraordinary cassoulet, the one DL recreated not long ago with Woolseys recipe. As is always our unfailing recommendation, we suggest sitting at the bar.

rory

Posted 2011-02-24 12:17:04

ummm...duck dinner? YES!!!

Posted by Adam Erace @ 4:33 PM Permalink | Post a comment

Coming this spring, artisanal ice cream ... ON A TRICYCLE!

POSTED: Wednesday, February 23, 2011, 8:33 PM

Filed Under: On Wheels | Openings

Courtesy of Little Baby's

Cute Idea Alert: This spring will see longtime friends and scoopers-in-arms Pete Angevine, Martin Brown and Jeff Ziga pedaling/peddling small-batch ice creams on a tricked-out tricycle. (Don't you just wanna pinch the chubby cheeks of that neotenous ice cream cone above?!) The man-powered mobile business, officially Little Baby's Ice Cream, will patrol summer concerts, markets and festivals (Angevine mentions First Fridays on Frankford Ave.) with 12 gallons of four to six flavors served by the cone and biodegradable, compostable cup. "Our goal is to be zero-waste," says Agnevine, who's also sourcing local, grass-fed milk and cream for the "unusual, surprising" flavors like earl grey Sriracha, balsamic banana, birch beer-vanilla bean (want!) and grilled peach. "And one or two non-dairy options will always be available, whether sorbets or almond-or rice-milk-based." The trio's industrial-desginer friend is working on Little Baby's multimedia trike right now; it'll be outfitted with a hand-pumped water system, freezer hooked up to a portable generator and electronic music box salvaged from an old ice cream truck. The tricycle is the first phase of the LBIC, with plans on deck for a CSA-like delivery subscription and a proper bricks-and-mortar parlor in Kensington, Angevine's turf for the last eight years. We can't wait. Stay tuned to Little Baby's Facebook and Twitter for details.

Preppy

Posted 2011-02-23 17:21:39

whooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nicole

Posted 2011-02-23 15:50:40

Early Grey Sirarcha is off the hook

Tweets that mention Coming this spring, artisanal ice cream ON A TRICYCLE! :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper -- Topsy.com

Posted 2011-02-25 10:06:14

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Kelsey Williamson, Meal Ticket. Meal Ticket said: First word on @littlebabysic, small-batch ice creams peddled/pedaled by multimedia tricycle http://tinyurl.com/62p82px [...]

Ice Cream Cones

Posted 2011-02-24 09:55:16

Yummy! five scoops for me. My favorite is almond. I can't wait to taste it soon.

VANILLA

Posted 2011-02-23 22:26:42

ICE ICE LITTLE BABY'S!

danya

Posted 2011-02-23 18:07:40

Neotenous. Nice.



Oh, and tricycle ice cream, also nice!

pw!

Posted 2011-02-24 18:30:16

best logo ever!!!!

Ticket Stubs: Meal Ticket Weekly Recap, Feb. 21-25 :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper

Posted 2011-02-28 10:48:42

[...] at The Corner• Does four stools qualify as a bar expansion? At meticulous La Minette, yes. • Coming this spring, artisanal ice cream ... ON A TRICYCLE!• SNACK TIME: Fortune cookies, Advertisement insensitivity, George Washington's brew, Do you [...]

Posted by Adam Erace @ 8:33 PM Permalink | Post a comment

SNACK TIME: Fortune cookies, Advertisement insensitivity, George Washington's brew, Do you hate water?, Orangettes, and the Cheeseburger law

POSTED: Wednesday, February 23, 2011, 7:31 PM

Filed Under: Snack Time

dianaeng.com

- You may or may not remember whimsical clothing designer Diana Eng from the second season of Project Runway. These days, she's been busy making scarves ... never mind, let me get to the point. Scarves, and fortune cookie coin purses! These unique leather babies are going for a tall $65 a pop. Pricey yes, but adorable, right?

- Remember the Jonestown Cult Massacre? Nearly, 1,000 people killed in a mass suicide via cyanide-spiked Kool-Aid for the good of some freak cult? Hacienda Mexican Restaurants in Indiana thought it'd been funny to reference the tragedy to boost cocktail sales: "We're like a cult with better Kool-Aid: To die for." How horrific.

nypl.tumblr.com

- Our first president was also a budding brewmaster. New York's Public Library recently released George Washington's handwritten directions for making "small beer" on its Tumblr, shares Bon Appetit. The recipe requires a ton of molasses and smartly calls upon the weather to determine fermentation time.

- Whatever happened to just having a glass of water? Is the taste of nothing so repulsive that we have to flavor our water to tolerate the exhausting act of hydration? Oh, America. Kraft has released a line of liquid flavor pouches to enhance your agua with infusions such as sweet tea and strawberry watermelon, believing that "water needs a wingman." Check out the zero-calorie MiO situation at Slashfood.

- Yo, we're all about nose to tail, especially when it's applied to all foods and not just animals. I came across this recipe on Serious Eats today for Bittersweet Chocolate Orangettes -- candied orange peels, for when you're done with the pulp -- dipped in chocolate (or anything else, for that matter).

- Minnesota's state House reps just passed the "Personal Responsibility in Food Consumption" Act -- appropriately nicknamed the "Cheeseburger Bill" -- reports CBS. This will prevent those who consume only fast food and sodas from suing chains in blame of their obesity and weight gain.

Tweets that mention SNACK TIME: Fortune cookies, Advertisement insensitivity, George Washingtons brew, Do you hate water?, Orangettes, and the Cheeseburger law. :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper -- Topsy.com

Posted 2011-02-23 19:05:45

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Pearl Jones, Jennifer Jones. Jennifer Jones said: SNACK TIME: Fortune cookies, Advertisement insensitivity, George Washington's ...: You may or may not remember w... http://bit.ly/hWxeHb [...]

The psychological effects of bariatric surgery

Posted 2011-02-26 21:53:35

[...] SNACK TIME: Fortune cookies, Advertisement insensitivity, George … [...]

Posted by Laurel Rose Purdy @ 7:31 PM Permalink | Post a comment

Various prix-fixes at Hoof + Fin

POSTED: Wednesday, February 23, 2011, 6:37 PM

Filed Under: Dealage | Menu Time

One-year old Argentinian kitchen Hoof + Fin (617 S. Third St.), is debuting a series of fixed-price tasting menus to make tasting your way through their menu easier on the old wallet. Available Sunday through Thursday only, you can choose between three price/course tiers: two courses for $19, three courses for $26 or four courses for $36. (During Sunday brunch, $13 gets you two courses.) By taking advantage of this steal of an offer you'll, try a varied combination of menu items (still TBA, the prix fixes change monthly), such as chicken liver pate with strawberry jam, house-made pappardelle in a braised short rib puttanesca and Arroz a la Gallega, a South American version of paella. Hoof + Fin is BYO, so don't forget your libation of choice! Check out their current a la carte menu after the jump.

APPETIZER

Beet Salad, parsley, onions, radishes, Gorgonzola cheese, orange segment, almonds, extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice... 8

Ceviche de Pulpo, octopus, avocado, onions, carrots, tomatoes, celery and cilantro... 9

Empanadas; choose from corn & cheese, beef or crab (add $1)... 7

Mejillones con papas fritas, steamed mussels, Aji Amarillo broth served with fries... 8

Chicken liver Pate with strawberry jam served with baguette croutons... 9

Meatballs with aji panca sauce and potatoes croquetes... 8

HOUSE-MADE PASTA... Sml.11 Lrg.18

Gnocchi; ricotta style, sage, truffle brown butter, capers and shaved grana padano cheese

Pappardelle in a malbec braised short rib putanesca sauce

Fettuccini with broccoli rabe and a sweet-spicy chorizo tomato sauce

MAIN

Grilled Baby Back Ribs with tamarindo BBQ Sauce served with baked beans... 21

Arroz a la Gallega; yellow rice, shrimp, scallops, mussels, clams, calamari, fish, chorizo... 25

Grilled Hanger steak with chimichurri served with Poblano peppers stuffed with potatoes and cheese... 21

Fish of the day, in miso-lemon sauce, wrapped in banana leaf and grilled, served with coconut rice and fried plantains... 20

Milanesa, breaded beef cutlet served with mashed potatoes and salad... 19

Grilled baby lamb chops with patatas bravas and salsa criolla... 23

HOMEMADE DESSERTS

Tweets that mention Various Prix Fixes at Hoof + Fin :: Meal Ticket :: Philadelphia City Paper -- Topsy.com

Posted 2011-02-23 14:02:46

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Adam, Meal Ticket. Meal Ticket said: Check out @laurelro with the deets on Hoof & Fin's new wallet-friendly pre-fixe system http://tinyurl.com/4nxor5h [...]

Posted by Laurel Rose Purdy @ 6:37 PM Permalink | Post a comment

DELICIOUS OR SUSPICIOUS: Rim Cafe's Saffron Cappuccino

POSTED: Wednesday, February 23, 2011, 2:57 PM

Filed Under: Coffee | Testing

Photo | Erin Finnerty

The one and only Rene Kobeitri, the ultra-lively owner/operator of Italian Market's Rim Cafe (1172 S. Ninth St.), is mad about saffron. So mad, in fact, he's taken the world's most expensive spice and added it to his cappuccinos and lattes. When my taste-testing partner and I dropped into Rim on Saturday, Kobeitri was anxious to share with us the health benefits of saffron consumption, including, but not limited to, cancer-fighting and blood pressure-lowering properties. He also shared with us the origin of the drink: Having already brought famous South Moroccan delicacy saffron tea to town, Kobietri was itching to become Philadelphia's first, if not the world's first, saffron cappuccino maker. So you know what he did? He MADE IT HAPPEN. The cappuccino begins like any other on the menu, with a dark shot of Italian Lavazza espresso. The magic begins with the addition of the frothy, pale canary yellow-tinted milk, spiked with the aforementioned tea. As a final touch, Rene gently lays several delicate strands of vibrant red Spanish saffron ("The best!") in the center of the foam. The tea added a hint of flavor to the milk that held up well in the company of robust espresso. Yet, it struck a note so subtle that, had it not been for the floating nest of fragrant saffron threads, it would have been difficult for an untrained tongue to detect the spice's singular flavor. The saffron was a complex and unexpected addition to the cappuccino that, ultimately, I found to be quite ... DELICIOUS.

Erin Finnerty

Posted 2011-02-24 14:05:12

My friend and I tried the chocolate raspberry truffles... the cocoa powder is little dry on the outside but so delicious on the inside. Love it!

Abby

Posted 2011-02-24 13:59:29

I LOVE Rene! He's such a character, and if you're in there when it's slow he may just surprise you with the most aggressively decorated plate of truffle desserts you've ever seen.  They're delicious :)

ryan

Posted 2011-02-23 10:16:18

the photo alone makes me wanna go.

Tweets that mention DELICIOUS OR SUSPICIOUS: Rim Cafes Saffron Cappuccino :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper -- Topsy.com

Posted 2011-02-23 11:15:50

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by E.F. and phillycacophony, Meal Ticket. Meal Ticket said: Rim Cafe's SAFFRON cappuccino, DELICIOUS or SUSPICIOUS... @erinfinnerty finds out. http://tinyurl.com/4rp9acd [...]

Erin

Posted 2011-02-23 11:53:14

You should.

Posted by Erin Finnerty @ 2:57 PM Permalink | Post a comment

Cooking classes with Marc Vetri

POSTED: Tuesday, February 22, 2011, 9:03 PM

Filed Under: Chef Salad

Every so often, chef Marc Vetri (Vetri, Osteria, Amis) extends an invitation to join him in his kitchen at Osteria (640 North Broad St.) for an intimate lesson on his cooking techniques. Vetri shares each and every James Beard Award-winning step and ingredient to a select few quick purchasers. On Tues., Feb. 22, at 6 p.m, Vetri will be hosting a Pizza making class at Osteria - arguably the home of the city's most fawned over pies - where he will share information on sourcing ingredients while you learn recipes for the perfect dough and toppings. $175 per ticket to join the seminar. Click here to watch a video of a past class focusing on creating a variety of his "magical" handmade pasta.

Posted by Laurel Rose Purdy @ 9:03 PM Permalink | Post a comment

February dealage at Zento

POSTED: Tuesday, February 22, 2011, 8:30 PM

Filed Under: Dealage

Listen up, people you have only four days left to take advantage of the February deals at Old City's Zento (138 Chestnut St.) that's 15 percent off lunch and 10 percent off dinner, offered Monday through Thursday only. For something extra-special, wink and nod and ask for some secret off-menu items, like the sizzling Bronzino Roll (avocado, cuke and fried shallots inside, hot oil-sizzled bronzino on top how could this not be good?) and the minced tuna-, black tobiko- and masago-topped Holiday Roll. Act now and don't forget to mention the discount when you order!

poncho

Posted 2011-02-22 17:09:40

I love Zento, and that bronzino roll sounds amazing!

Julie

Posted 2011-02-22 16:42:38

For real? This is my favorite sushi spot and I've been meaning to drag the boyfriend there.

Posted by Erin Finnerty @ 8:30 PM Permalink | Post a comment

Maru Global Takoyaki's new spring menu

POSTED: Tuesday, February 22, 2011, 7:45 PM

Filed Under: Menu Time

Photo | Neal Santos

Japanese hideaway Maru Global Takoyaki (255 S. 10th St.) is celebrating its first birthday with a new menu for spring. The menu isn't the only thing they're changing up, though they've gone so far as to expand their okinomoyaki (Japanese pizza) delivery hours to last all day every day, they've tacked on a sandwich selection and expanded their offerings in the grab-and-go section. The Japanese pizza sounds like a flattened version of their signature takoyaki balls essentially, it's a fluffy crepe with the option of any of the toppings otherwise found inside the takoyaki. On the sandwich front, look out for the Spicy Crunchy Kani Cake ($9.50), a crabcake with spicy mayo, lettuce and pickles; and Chef Ryo's Japanese Chicken ($7.50), for which Ryo Igarashi (above) combines a breaded chicken breast with spicy Japanese mustard, cabbage and talkuan (pickled daikon). Maru's new menu went live yesterday; check it out in full after the jump.

Click to enlarge

Posted by Adrian Pelliccia @ 7:45 PM Permalink | Post a comment

Feb. 23: Vegan cocktail night at Khyber Pass Pub

POSTED: Tuesday, February 22, 2011, 6:50 PM

Filed Under: Booze | Food Events | Vegan | Vegetarian

Attention, herbivores! The Southern-focused Khyber Pass Pub (56 S. Second St.) is hosting a veg/vegan-friendly evening of cocktails and savory snacks tomorrow, Feb. 23, beginning at 6 p.m. KPP is replacing its usual po'boy fillings ordinarily a selection of fried chicken, oysters, roast beef and many other carnivorous options with fried mac 'n' cheese, while also offering an entire chalkboard of vegetarian/vegan eats, like hearty sweet potatoes paired with vegan bourbon butter, toasted pecans (gotta hang onto that Southern swagger) and cane syrup. The vegan beverage/cocktail selection is large, with choices like the light-heartedly named "Natalie Portman Pucker," which might make one feel closer to PETA and those who support it. While we're on the topic of support, keep in mind that a big portion of proceeds this evening aids The Food Trust, which focuses on the available knowledge, accessibility and affordability of healthy food to the public.

poncho

Posted 2011-02-22 15:22:34

This sounds like so much fun!

Posted by Laurel Rose Purdy @ 6:50 PM Permalink | Post a comment

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | NEXT »

The Lite Choice Opens Flagship Store on 16th Street between Walnut & Locust
Notes from the Weekend: June 17
Rock Star cheese dinner at Di Bruno's
Free stuff for Father's Day
Vetri opening in the Navy Yard, plus a nod to Le Bec
Gone Fishin'
Afternoon Snacks: Party Pizza, Empellon joins tumblr, Giant bibimbap (!), Snickerdoodle cobbler
Happy National Beef Jerky Day!
Summer of Riesling Dinner at P&K
Now Serving: Lil' Pop Shop

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Founded in October 2008, Meal Ticket is a City Paper blog about food, drink and assorted other things that make you go mmm. We do recipes, interviews, restaurant news, commentary and much more. We don't do restaurant reviews here — those are handled in print, mostly by our critic (and Meal Ticket contributor) Adam Erace. Got a tip, question, thought or concern? Just want to say hello? Please shoot a note to caroline@citypaper.net.

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